Guinée Forestière

Guinée forestière (Forested Guinea) is a forested mountainous region in southeastern Guinea, extending into northeastern Sierra Leone. It is one of four natural regions into which Guinea is divided and covers 23% of the country. It includes all of the Nzérékoré administrative region.

Guinée forestière is known for its diverse ethnic population, including the Toma and Lissi groups, and also shelters a large number of refugees from the Sierra Leone Civil War, the Liberian Civil Wars and the . Nzérékoré is the largest city.

Both former President Moussa Dadis Camara and former Prime Minister Jean-Marie Doré are from the Guinée forestière.

Guinée forestière also has a rich fauna and flora. The Mount Nimba Strict Nature Reserve lies 70% inside Guinea and also extends into Ivory Coast. It is a UNESCO World Heritage Site and includes significant portions of Mont Nimba, a geographically unique area with more than 200 endemic species and a rich fauna and flora including duikers, big cats (lion and leopard), civets, and two species of viviparous toad.

The Ziama Massif Biosphere Reserve is home to more than 1,300 species of plants and more than 500 species of animals.

In the Simandou Range and at Mont Nimba, Guinée forestière has iron deposits which are amongst the highest quality known worldwide (66-68% estimated iron content). In a poor country like Guinea mining is the most important source of income and exports but poses a threat to the natural environment and biodiversity.

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