Most of us know about the countries called Guinea, and many of us have visited any of these countries. The etymology of the word Guinea is unknown. It has been linked to the Tuaregs where the word ‘aginaw’ translating to modern day Guinea means black people. The word Guinea was also used to refer to the british gold coin used between the years 1663 to 1813. While Africa has three countries with the name Guinea, we still have another Guinea in Oceania. To make this simpler for everyone, we have listed these countries for you.
Guinea
Guinea is officially the Republic of Guinea, and often called Guinea-Conakry to help in differentiating it from other countries with the name ‘Guinea.’ The Conakry in its name comes from the capital city of the country. The coastal country depends largely on mineral production and agriculture. It has a rich deposit of gold and diamonds. The West African country was at the center of the deadly outbreak of Ebola in 2014. While Guinea is little known by most tourists, the country offers a surprising beauty that ranges from wide Sahelian lands to the rolling mountain plateau of Fouta Djalon. If you think you can drive, some of the country’s terrains are not for the faint-hearted. Visiting Guinea opens hidden tourist destinations for you.
Guinea-Bissau
Guinea-Bissau is a tropical country on the Atlantic coast in West Africa, famous for its wildlife and national parks. The Bijagós archipelago is sparsely populated and forested. The biosphere reserve is protected, while the main island, Bubaque is part of the Orango Islands National Park. Visitors can watch saltwater hippos here. On the mainland, visitors can reside in the capital, Bissau. Thinking of a stunning unhampered natural environment, Guinea-Bissau awaits you with some of the finest destinations.
Witness the fading colonial houses that scattered across the country and traces of Portuguese lifestyle in the country. Bissau-Guineans are fun to be with people, and they always persevere in every challenging situation.
Enjoy bowls of grilled oysters are served with a sauce spicy in the evening and quench your thirst with cold local drinks. Its capital is called Bissau.
Equatorial Guinea
Equatorial Guinea is a Central African country, which comprises 5 volcanic offshore islands and the Rio Munk mainland. The capital city, Malabo is located on Bioko Island and has the signatory Spanish colonial architecture. Malabo is the hub for Equatorial Guinea’s prosperous oil industry.
Visitors can come to Arena Blanca beach and see dry-season butterflies. The mainland’s Monte Alen National Park is where you can see elephants, chimpanzees, and gorillas. The country has two sections; the mainland and an insular region. The insular region is where you find the islands of Bioko (formerly Fernando Pó) in the Gulf of Guinea and Annobón, a small volcanic island.
Papua New Guinea
Most people confuse Papua New Guinea as a country in Africa. The country is in the southwestern Pacific and encompasses the eastern half of New Guinea and its offshore islands. Papua New Guinea is rich in biological and cultural diversity. Tourists come here for its coral reefs and beaches. Inland has active volcanoes, dense rainforest, granite Mountain Wilhelm and hiking routes. Its capital is called Port Moresby.
These Guinea countries may not be popular, but they offer you unlimited fun and exciting activities, with less crowd to fight for space.
