Map of Guyana | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide1989199019911992199319941995199619971998199920002001200220032004200520062007200820092010201120122013201420152016201720182019202020212022202320242025 | More stats

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Background: Guyana achieved independence from the UK in 1966 and became a republic in 1970. In 1989 Guyana launched an Economic Recovery Program which marked a dramatic reversal from a state-controlled socialist economy towards a more open free market system. Results through the first decade have proven encouraging.


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Location

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area

Land boundaries:

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: outer edge of continental margin or 200 nm
Exclusive fishing zone: 200 nm
Territorial sea: 12 nm

Climate: tropical; hot, humid, moderated by northeast trade winds; two rainy seasons (May to mid-August, mid-November to mid-January)

Terrain: mostly rolling highlands; low coastal plain; savanna in south

Elevation

Natural resources: bauxite, gold, diamonds, hardwood timber, shrimp, fish

Land use: 3% arable land; NEGL% permanent crops; 6% meadows and pastures; 83% forest and woodland; 8% other; includes 1% irrigated

Irrigated land

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


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Population: 765,461 (July 1989), growth rate - 0.1% (1989)

Nationality: noun - Guyanese (sing., pl.; adjective - Guyanese

Ethnic groups: 51% East Indian, 43% black and mixed, 4% Amerindian, 2% European and Chinese

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects

Religions: 57% Christian, 33% Hindu, 9% Muslim, 1% other

Demographic profile

Age structure

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate

Birth rate: 25 births/1000 population (1989)

Death rate: 6 deaths/1000 population (1989)

Net migration rate: - 19 migrants/1000 population (1989)

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: flash floods a constant threat during rainy seasons; water pollution

Air pollutants

Sex ratio

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate: 41 deaths/1000 live births (1989)

Life expectancy at birth: 64 years male, 69 years female (1989)

Total fertility rate: 2.8 children born/woman (1989)

Contraceptive prevalence rate

Drinking water source

Current health expenditure

Physicians density

Hospital bed density

Sanitation facility access

Hiv/Aids

Major infectious diseases

Obesity adult prevalence rate

Alcohol consumption

Tobacco use

Children under the age of 5 years underweight

Education expenditures

Literacy: 85%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


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Country name: conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana

Government type: republic within Commonwealth

Capital: Georgetown

Administrative divisions: 10 regions; Barima-Waini, Cuyuni-Mazaruni, Demerara-Mahaica, East Berbice-Corentyne, Essequibo Islands-West Demerara, Mahaica-Berbice, Pomeroon-Supenaam, Potaro-Siparuni, Upper Demerara-Berbice, Upper Takutu-Upper Essequibo

Dependent areas

Independence: 26 May 1966 (from UK; formerly British Guiana)

National holiday: Republic Day, 23 February (1970)

Constitution: 6 October 1980

Legal system: based on English common law with certain admixtures of Roman-Dutch law; has not accepted compulsory ICJ jurisdiction

International law organization participation

Citizenship

Suffrage: universal at age 18

Executive branch: Chief of State - President Hugh Desmond HOYTE (since 6 August 1985; First Vice President Hamilton GREEN (since 6 August 1985; Head of Government - Prime Minister Hamilton GREEN (since 6 August 1985)

Legislative branch: Guyana Defense Force (including Maritime Corps and Air Corps), Guyana Police Force, Guyana People's Militia, Guyana National Service

Judicial branch

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: CARICOM, CCC, CDB, FAO, G-77, GATT, IADB, IBA, IBRD, ICAO, ICJ, IDA, IDB - Inter-American Development Bank, IFAD, IFC, ILO, IMF, IMO, INTERPOL, IRC, ISO, ITU, NAM, OAS (observer), PAHO, SELA, UN, UNESCO, UPU, WFTU, WHO, WMO

Diplomatic representation
In the us: Ambassador Dr. Cedric Hilburn GRANT; Chancery at 2,490 Tracy Place NW, Washington DC 20,008; telephone (202) 265-6,900; there is a Guyanese Consulate General in New York; US - Ambassador Theresa A. TULL; Embassy at 31 Main Street, Georgetown; telephone Õ592å (02) 54,900 through 54,909

Flag description: green with a red isosceles triangle (based on the hoist side) superimposed on a long yellow arrowhead; there is a narrow black border between the red and yellow, and a narrow white border between the yellow and the green

National symbols

National anthem

National heritage


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Economy overview: After growing on average at less than 1% a year in 1984-87, GDP dropped by 3% in 1988, the result of bad weather, labor trouble in the canefields, and flooding and equipment problems in the bauxite industry. Consumer prices rose 51.5%, and the current account deficit widened substantially as sugar and bauxite exports fell. Moreover, electric power is in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government, in association with international financial agencies, seeks to reduce its payment arrears and to raise new funds. The government's stabilization program - aimed at establishing realistic exchange rates, reasonable price stability, and resumption of growth - requires considerable public administrative abilities and continued patience by consumers during a long incubation period.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate

Real gdp per capita

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: sugarcane, rice, other food crops; food shortages - wheat flour, cooking oil, processed meat, dairy products

Industries: bauxite mining, sugar, rice milling, timber, fishing (shrimp), textiles, gold mining

Industrial production growth rate: - 3.0% (1986)

Labor force:

Unemployment rate: 13% (1986)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget: revenues $110 million; expenditures $293 million, including capital expenditures of $60 million (1987 est.)

Taxes and other revenues

Public debt

Revenue

Fiscal year: calendar year

Inflation rate consumer prices

Central bank discount rate

Commercial bank prime lending rate

Stock of narrow money

Stock of broad money

Stock of domestic credit

Market value of publicly traded shares

Current account balance

Exports: $240 million (f.o.b., 1987) commodities - bauxite, sugar, rice, shrimp, gold, molasses, timber, rum
Partners: UK 37%, US 12%, Canada 10.6%, CARICOM 4.8% (1986)
Commodities: manufactures machinery, food, petroleum

Imports: $254 million (c.i.f., 1987)
Partners: CARICOM 41%, US 18%, UK 9%, Canada 3% (1984)

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $1.8 billion, including arrears (December 1988)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1 - 10.0000 (fixed rate since 1987), 9.756 (1987), 4.272 (1986), 4.252 (1985)


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Electricity
Capacity: 200,000 kW capacity; 530 million kWh produced, 690 kWh per capita (1988)

Coal

Petroleum

Crude oil

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


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Telephones

Telephone system

Broadcast media

Internet

Broadband fixed subscriptions


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Military expenditures
Dollar figure: $13.8 million, 3.1% of central government budget (1988)

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


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National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 67 total, 64 usable; 6 with permanent-surface runways; 12 with runways 1,220-2,439 m

Heliports

Pipelines

Railways

Roadways

Waterways: 6,000 km total of navigable waterways; Berbice, Demerara, and Essequibo Rivers are navigable by oceangoing vessels for 150 km, 100 km, and 80 km, respectively

Merchant marine

Ports and terminals


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Disputes international: Essequibo area claimed by Venezuela; Suriname claims area between New (Upper Courantyne) and Courantyne/Kutari Rivers (all headwaters of the Courantyne)

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs