KANKAN, APOSTOLIC PREFECTURE of. - It was erected on 12 May 1949 from the eastern part of the apostolic vicariate of French Guinea, which on the same date had its name changed to the apostolic vicariate of Konakry. It is entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit. Its erection was necessary because the vastness of the territory did not permit effective missionary activity from the centre of Konakry. Indeed, the mountainous massif of Fouta-Djallon, entirely Islamized, made communications difficult between the new apostolic prefecture and the territory of the present apostolic vicariate of Konakry.
The apostolic prefecture of K. forms a homogeneous ethnographic complex resulting from elements of the “Mandingo” race, with Kissiens and Tomaj subtribes. It has easy communications with the various mission stations even during the rainy season. Its area is approximately 101,475 sq. km., with 6 principal stations, 15 fathers, 2 brothers, 3 European and 3 indigenous sisters, and more than 100 catechists. The Christians number approximately 7,000; the catechumens exceed 5,000, out of a population of approximately 382,000, of whom more than 200,000 are animists.