Although Guinea has sought-after mineral, hydropower and agricultural resources, its people remain poor due to decades of military rule and corrupt governance. Almost half the population lives in poverty. Since 2000, the political instability of Guinea’s neighbors Sierra Leone and Liberia has caused more than 500,000 refugees to seek safety in Guinea, straining the economy and creating ethnic tensions. The country ranks 167th out of 179 on the United Nations Human Development Index.