Guinea

Guinea, also sometimes referred as Guinea-Conakry, is found in West Africa. It is bordered by Guinea-Bissau, Senegal, and Mali in the north and Sierra Leone, Liberia, and Ivory Coast in the south. In 2016, Guinea had a population of 12.6 million over a territory of 245 860 square kilometres (km). Its capital and largest city is Conakry. The official language of Guinea is French, and the currency used is the Guinean franc (GNF).

Burkina Faso

Burkina Faso is a landlocked country in West Africa, surrounded by six countries: Benin, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Mali, Niger, and Togo. It has an area of 274,200 square kilometres (km) and has a population of 18.6 million inhabitants. Its capital is Ouagadougou, where the biggest airport of Burkina Faso, Ouagadougou International Airport, is found. By 2021, a new airport should be operational at Dosin, located 30 km north from the capital. Having no access to the sea, Burkina Faso relies on the ports of its neighbouring countries for its commercial exchanges. Eighty per cent of the external trade of Burkina Faso is conducted by sea. The main ports available to Burkina Faso are Cotonou, Lomé, Téma, Takoradi, and Abidjan. In practice, the autonomous port of Abidjan is the main port of maritime entry and exit into Burkina Faso, having regained its lost market share caused by the crisis in Ivory Coast in September 2002. International roads link Ouagadougou to all neighbouring ports and a railway line operates between Ouagadougou and Abidjan.

Sierra Leone

Sierra Leone is located on the west coast of Africa, with an area of 71,740 square kilometres (km), bordered by Guinea, Liberia, and a coast line on the Atlantic Ocean of 402 km. The capital of Sierra Leone is the coastal city of Freetown and commands one of the world’s largest natural harbours. It has a population of 7.557 million (2017). The Western Area Urban District, which includes the capital city of Freetown, has a population density of 1,224 people per square kilometre. Formerly a British colony, Sierra Leone became an independent state within the Commonwealth of Nations in 1961 and attained republican status on 19 April 1971. The Sierra Leone civil war took place from 1991 until 2002, a war which had a devastating effect on the country and its economy. Since 2002. Sierra Leone has been in the process of rebuilding and regeneration following the civil war. Official business hours are from Monday to Friday from 0800 to 1700. The currency of Sierra Leone is the Leone (Le).

Sudan

Sudan is situated in north-eastern Africa bordered by the Red Sea, Egypt, Libya, Chad, Central Africa Republic, South Sudan, Ethiopia, and Eritrea. It has an area of 1,886 million square kilometres (km) and an estimated 2019 population of 42.81 million. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011, and as such the provisions only relate to Sudan (North), which is now formally known as the Republic of Sudan. The capital of Sudan is Khartoum. The working week in Sudan is from Saturday to Wednesday with business hours beginning at 0800 and ending at 1630, Thursday’s hours are from 0800 to 1300, whilst Friday is day off. The currency in Sudan is the Sudanese pound (SDG/Ls).

Rwanda

Found in East Africa, Rwanda borders the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC), Tanzania, Uganda, and Burundi. It is a hilly and fertile landlocked state of 26,338 square kilometres (km). It is one of the smallest countries on the continent but is densely populated with 12.2 million people in 2017. Kigali is the capital of and largest city in Rwanda. It is also Rwanda’s economic, cultural, and transport hub and is found in the centre of the country. Most of the population lives in rural areas. Rwanda has a forty-five-hour working week and the currency used is Rwandan franc (FRW).

Ghana

The Republic of Ghana is a country located on the west coast of Africa on the Gulf of Guinea, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, Burkina Faso, Ivory Coast, and Togo. Ghana has a total area of 238,535 square kilometres (km), a coastline of 539 km in length, and a population of 29.6 million. Ghana is home to Lake Volta, the largest artificial reservoir in the world in terms of surface area, situated approximately 200 km from Ghana’s border with Burkina Faso.

Mauritius

Situated off the south-eastern coast of Africa in the Indian Ocean, the Republic of Mauritius is an island nation of 2,040 square kilometres (km) with a population of 1.26 million. English is generally accepted as the official language as it is used by the administration and the courts. French is also widely spoken among the population, and most inhabitants are bilingual. Local languages include Créole and Bhojpuri. The working week on the island is from Monday to Friday and the Mauritian rupee (MUR) is the currency used.

South Sudan

South Sudan is situated in north-eastern Africa bordered by Sudan, Ethiopia, Central Africa Republic, Democratic Republic of Congo, Uganda, and Kenya. It is 619,745 square kilometres (km) and has a population of 12.58 million. South Sudan gained independence from Sudan on 9 July 2011, making it the most recently recognized independent country. South Sudan, which is officially known as the Republic of South Sudan, comprises the three former southern provinces of Bahr el Ghazal, Equatoria, and Upper Nile in their boundaries as they stood on 1 January 1956 and the Abyei Area, as defined by the Abyei Arbitration Tribunal Award of July 2009. The capital of South Sudan is Juba.

Libya

Libya extends along the northeast coast of Africa bordered by Tunisia, Algeria, Egypt, Sudan, Chad, and Niger. In 1949, Libya become independent and in 1951 it became known as the United Kingdom of Libya. The country’s total area is 1.76 million square kilometres (km) with a population of 6,375 million in 2017. The country’s capital and largest city is Tripoli. The official working days in Libya are Sunday to Thursday, while Friday and Saturday are rest days. Normal working hours are between 0800 to 1500. The currency used in Libya is referred to as the dinar (LYD). The Libyan pound was the currency of Libya between 1951 and 1971. In some cases the legislation has not been amended or updated and as such penalties and fines are still shown in the Libyan pound.

Tunisia

Found in North Africa, Tunisia borders Algeria, Libya, and the Mediterranean Sea. It is the northernmost country of Africa. The country is divided by the Atlas Mountain range: the northern area is predominantly forest and agricultural land while the southern part is semi-arid desert (Sahara Desert). In 2017, its population numbered 11.5 million people in an area of 165,000 square kilometres (km). The capital, Tunis, is the largest city of Tunisia and the centre of the political, administrative, commercial, and cultural life of the country.