Guinea is a country located in West Africa, bordered by the Atlantic Ocean to the west, Guinea-Bissau to the northwest, Senegal to the north, Mali to the northeast, Ivory Coast to the east, and Liberia and Sierra Leone to the south. Its capital and largest city is Conakry. Guinea gained independence from France in 1958. The country is known for its rich cultural heritage, diverse ethnic groups, and natural resources, particularly its significant deposits of bauxite, which is used in aluminum production.