KONAKRY, APOSTOLIC VICARIATE of. - It is situated in French Guinea, where in 1877 the Fathers of the Holy Spirit, coming from the apostolic vicariate of Sierra Leone, penetrated and established themselves at Boffa. In 1890 they opened the station of K., and subsequently other missions were founded inland, always hindered by the propagandistic activity of Islam. On 18 Oct. 1897 the apostolic prefecture of French Guinea was erected with territories detached from the apostolic vicariates of Senegambia (now Dakar) and Sierra Leone; on 18 Apr. 1920 it was elevated to an apostolic vicariate, still entrusted to the Congregation of the Holy Spirit.
By decree of 12 May 1949, the eastern area of the apostolic vicariate of French Guinea was detached to form the apostolic prefecture of Kankan, and the western area was renamed K. Its area is approximately 115,570 sq. km., with 7 principal stations, 20 fathers, of whom two are at the Seminary of Dixum, 4 brothers, 12 European and 12 indigenous sisters, and more than 60 catechists. The Christians number 12,000 out of a population of 350,000. It has a seminary and two indigenous congregations of brothers and sisters.