Conakry, the capital of Guinea, stretches about 22 miles along a narrow peninsula in the Atlantic. (Image: Getty)
Built along a thin coastal strip, the capital of the country of Guinea, Conakry, is one of the longest and narrowest in the world, stretching about 36 kilometres (22 miles) along a narrow peninsula in the .
Conakry was once situated on Tombo Island, one of the Îles de Los, but has since spread up into the neighbouring Kaloum Peninsula.
The original settlement is linked to the peninsula by a 300-metre causeway.
The port is the terminus of motor , a 411-mile railroad from Kankan and a 90-mile branch line from Fria. It functions as the major port of .
Guinea’s international airport is also 9.5 miles northeast, which has to several cities in West Africa and .
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The current population of Conakry is estimated at two million. (Image: Axelspace Corporation)
Conakry became industrialised in the 1950s with the development of iron mining on the Kaloum Peninsula and the exploitation of bauxite on the nearby Los Islands. Local enterprises include fruit canning, fish packing, printing, automobile assembly, and the manufacture of aluminium utensils and plastics.
The current population of the capital is difficult to ascertain, although the US Department of State’s Bureau of African Affairs has estimated it at two million, accounting for one-sixth of the whole country’s population. Most activity is centred along its length.
Conakry features a tropical monsoon climate, with a wet and a dry season. Like most of West Africa, Conakry’s dry season is dominated by the harmattan wind between December and April, with barely any rainfall during these months.
In the wet season, however, the capital sees an extraordinary amount of rainfall compared to most of the wider African region, averaging more than 1,100 millimetres (43 inches) in both July and August. As a result, Conakry’s average annual rainfall totals nearly 3,800 millimetres (150 inches).
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Conakry One of the Longest, Narrowest Cities in the World. Conakry, Guinea’s capital, stretches about 36 kilometers (22 miles) along a narrow peninsula in the Atlantic Ocean, making it one of the longest and narrowest cities globally. Built along this coastal strip, Conakry’s…
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Guinea, including Conakry, is known as the “Water Tower of West Africa”, because of its many rivers and highlands that provide water to the region.
However, despite its water potential, Guinea still has low access to drinking water. In Conakry, only about 40 percent of the urban population has access to drinking water due to issues including poverty, poor maintenance and illegal water syphoning.
Many sites are situated in the old centre on Tombo Island at the very end of the peninsula. As the city is so long, taxis are the best option for visitors. The Conakry Express is also a popular method of transportation for locals, a commuter that runs the length of the city.
Conakry is not, however, the longest city in the world. This title is held, perhaps dubiously, by in Australia, which stretches out around 31 miles from Two Rocks to Dawesville.