FishBase | Complete | Literature | Reference | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Species | Families | Species | Families | |||
Marine | 571 | 173 | No | Quéro, J.-C., J.-C. Hureau, C. Karrer, A. Post and L. Saldanha (eds.), 1990 | ||
Freshwater | 258 | 36 | No | Daget, J., J.-P. Gosse and D.F.E. Thys van den Audenaerde, 1984 | ||
Total | 820 | 199 | No |
Conservation | The following information is to be sought: - Status of knowledge of the freshwater fauna; - Existence of conservation plans; - Information on major aquatic habitats or sites within the country; - Current major threats to species; - Future potential threats to species; - Contact(s) for further information. |
Geography and Climate |
Guinea is divided into four main regions:
(a) a narrow coastal belt;
(b) the Fouta Djallon Mountains, which are, on average, 1,000 m high;
(c) the Upper Guinean Plains, with an altitude of 300 m; and
(d) a densely forested southeastern region.
The coastal region and most of the inland areas have a tropical climate with high humidity and temperature. There are two rainy seasons. In the north the climate is sudanic with a single rainy season and greater daily and seasonal temperature variations.
Peasant agriculture, pastoralism and forestry are about equally practiced in the country. Rice culture is practised in the floodplain areas of the north. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |
Hydrography |
Lakes: there are no natural lakes of appreciable size in Guinea.
Rivers, floodplains and swamps: many of West Africa's great rivers rise in the Fouta Djallon Mountains. The Upper Niger has a length of 580 km within Guinea, and together with its major tributaries probably totals over 3,400 km of waterways. Other important rivers are the Gambia (210 km), the Bafing headwater of the Senegal (130 km), the Konkoure, the Kolente and many others.
Reservoirs: there are five reservoirs with a combined area of 31.40 sq. km. Three are hydroelectric dams (Kale, Bareya and Donkea) which have been stocked with tilapia. The Konkoure River basin has 2 small impoundments. A third larger dam (Soapit) is projected for the Konkoure which will form a 500 sq. km. reservoir.
Coastal lagoons: although Guinea has numerous estuaries and extensive mangrove forests, there are no major coastal lagoons. Ref. Vanden Bossche, J.-P. and G.M. Bernacsek, 1990 |