Map of Guyana | Geography | People | Government | Economy | Energy | Communication
Military | Transportation | Transnational Issues | Year: Guide19891990199119921993199419951996199719981999200020012002200320042005200620072008200920102011201220132014201520162017201820192020202120222023 | More stats

top of page


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.


top of page


Location: Northern South America, bordering the North Atlantic Ocean, between Suriname and Venezuela

Geographic coordinates

Map reference

Area
Total: 214,970 km²
Land: 196,850 km²
Comparative: slightly smaller than Idaho

Land boundaries: Total 2,462 km, Brazil 1,119 km, Suriname 600 km, Venezuela 743 km

Coastline: 459 km

Maritime claims
Continental shelf: 200 nm or to the outer edge of the continental margin
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
Extremes lowest point: Atlantic Ocean 0 m
Extremes highest point: Mount Roraima 2,835 m

Natural resources:

Land use
Arable land: 3%
Permanent crops: 0%
Permanent pastures: 6%
Forests and woodland: 83%
Other: 8%

Irrigated land: 1,300 km² (1989 est.)

Major rivers

Major watersheds area km²

Total water withdrawal

Total renewable water resources

Natural hazards

Geography


top of page


Population:
Growth rate:

Nationality
Noun: Guyanese (singular and plural)
Adjective: Guyanese

Ethnic groups:

Languages: English, Amerindian dialects

Religions:

Demographic profile

Age structure
0-14 years:
15-64 years: 63% (male 224,219; female 222,562) (July 1996 est.) 62% (male 225,543; female 224,484) (July 1995 est.)
65 years and over:

Dependency ratios

Median age

Population growth rate:

Birth rate:

Death rate:

Net migration rate:

Population distribution

Urbanization

Major urban areas

Environment
Current issues: water pollution from sewage and agricultural and industrial chemicals; deforestation
Current issues Natural hazards: flash floods are a constant threat during rainy seasons
International agreements: party to_Biodiversity, Climate Change, Endangered Species, Law of the Sea, Ozone Layer Protection, Tropical Timber 83

Air pollutants

Sex ratio
At birth: 1.05 male(s)/female
Under 15 years: 1.04 male(s)/female
15-64 years: 1.01 male(s)/female
65 years and over: 0.83 male(s)/female
All ages:

Mothers mean age at first birth

Maternal mortality ratio

Infant mortality rate

Life expectancy at birth
Total population: 60.1 years (1996 est.), 65.1 years (1995 est.)
Male: 57.55 years (1996 est.), 61.86 years (1995 est.)
Female: 62.78 years (1996 est.), 68.5 years (1995 est.)

Total fertility rate:

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
Definition: age 15 and over that has ever attended school (1995 est.)
Total population: 98.1%
Male: 98.6%
Female: 97.5%

School life expectancy primary to tertiary education

Youth unemployment


top of page


Country name
Conventional long form: Co-operative Republic of Guyana
Conventional short form: Guyana
Former: British Guiana

Government type: Republic

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 U.K.)

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: 18 years of age; universal

Executive branch
Chief of state: Executive President Cheddi JAGAN (since 5 October 1992); election last held 5 October 1992; results_Cheddi JAGAN was elected president since he was leader of the party with the most votes in the National Assembly elections
Head of government: Prime Minister Sam HINDS (since 5 October 1992)
Cabinet: Cabinet of Ministers; appointed by the president, responsible to the legislature

Legislative branch: Unicameral National Assembly:Elections last held on 5 October 1992 (next to be held in 1997; results_PPP 53.4%, PNC 42.3%, WPA 2%, TUF 1.2%; seats_(65 total, 53 elected) PPP 36, PNC 26, WPA 2, TUF 1

Judicial branch: Supreme Court of Judicature

Political parties and leaders

International organization participation: ACP, C, Caricom, CCC, CDB, ECLAC, FAO, G-77, IADB, IBRD, ICAO, ICFTU, ICRM, IDA, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat (nonsignatory user), Interpol, IOC, ITU, LAES, NAM, OAS, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNMIH, UPU, WCL, WFTU, WHO, WIPO, WMO, WTrO

Diplomatic representation

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


top of page


Economy overview: In 1995, Guyana, one of the poorest countries in the Western Hemisphere, posted its fifth straight year of economic growth of 5% or better, with the advance led by gold mining and by production of rice, sugar, and forestry products for export. Favorable factors include recovery in the key agricultural and mining sectors, a more favorable atmosphere for business initiative, a more realistic exchange rate, a sharp drop in the inflation rate, and the continued support of international organizations. Serious underlying economic problems will continue. Electric power has been in short supply and constitutes a major barrier to future gains in national output. The government must persist in efforts to manage its $2 billion external debt, control inflation, and extend the privatization program.

Real gdp purchasing power parity

Real gdp growth rate:

Real gdp per capita ppp

Gross national saving

Gdp composition by end use

Gdp composition by sector of origin

Agriculture products: Most important sector, accounting for 25% of GDP and about half of exports; sugar and rice are key crops; development potential exists for fishing and forestry; not self-sufficient in food, especially wheat, vegetable oils, and animal products

Industries:

Industrial production growth rate: Growth rate 5.6% (1994 est.)

Labor force: 268,000
By occupation Industry and commerce: 44.5%
By occupation Agriculture: 33.8%
By occupation Services: 21.7%
By occupation note: Public-sector employment amounts to 60%-80% of the total labor force (1985)

Unemployment rate: 12% (1992 est.)

Youth unemployment

Population below poverty line

Gini index

Household income or consumption by percentage share

Distribution of family income gini index

Budget
Revenues: $209 million
Expenditures: $303 million, including capital expenditures of $109 million (1995 est.)

Public debt

Taxes and other revenues

Revenue

Fiscal year: Calendar year

Current account balance

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: total value. $453 million (f.o.b., 1994)
Commodities:
Partners:

Imports: total value:$456 million (c.i.f., 1994 est.)
Commodities:
Partners:

Reserves of foreign exchange and gold

Debt external: $2.2 billion (1994 est.)

Stock of direct foreign investment at home

Stock of direct foreign investment abroad

Exchange rates: Guyanese dollars (G$) per US$1_140.3 (January 1996), 142.0 (1995), 138.3 (1994), 126.7 (1993), 125.0 (1992), 111.8 (1991), 39.533 (1990)


top of page


Electricity access

Electricity production: 230 million kWh

Electricity consumption
Per capita: 286 kWh (1993)

Electricity exports

Electricity imports

Electricity installed generating capacity

Electricity transmission distribution losses

Electricity generation sources

Petroleum

Refined petroleum

Natural gas

Carbon dioxide emissions

Energy consumption per capita


top of page


Telephones fixed lines

Telephones mobile cellular

Telephone system: Over 33,000 telephones (1987 est.); fair system for long distance calling
Local: NA
Intercity: microwave radio relay network for trunk lines
International: tropospheric scatter link to Trinidad; 1 INTELSAT (Atlantic Ocean) earth station

Broadcast media

Internet country code

Internet users

Broadband fixed subscriptions


top of page


Military expenditures

Military and security forces

Military service age and obligation

Space program

Terrorist groups


top of page


National air transport system

Civil aircraft registration country code prefix

Airports: 47
15-24 to 2437 m: 2
914 to 1523 m: 9 (1995 est.)
Under 914 m: 32

Airports with paved runways

Airports with unpaved runways

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: total:1 cargo ship (1,000 GRT or over) totaling 1,317 GRT/2,558 DWT

Ports and terminals


top of page


Disputes international

Refugees and internally displaced persons

Illicit drugs: Transshipment point for narcotics from South America_primarily Venezuela_to the U.S. and Europe; producer of cannabis